North Carolina Construction News staff writer
North Carolina Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson joined state and local officials Friday to mark the completion of a major bridge replacement project in western North Carolina, restoring a key connection severed by Hurricane Helene.
The storm, which struck last year, brought heavy rain and widespread flooding that destroyed the bridge on Pitts Station Road over the North Fork Catawba River. The bridge served local residents and vehicles traveling to Baxter Healthcare, the nation’s largest producer of IV fluid and the largest private employer in McDowell County.
The new bridge is larger, stronger and designed to better withstand future storms.
“Our No. 1 priority over the past year at NCDOT has been to restore transportation and help folks in western North Carolina recover from the most destructive storm in North Carolina history,” Johnson said. “We are reconnecting McDowell County’s largest private employer with a crucial public highway, and we are reconnecting that highway to a neighborhood with families.”
The small ceremony on Friday was emceed by Division 13 Engineer Tim Anderson, who oversees highway operations in a seven-county area including McDowell County. McDowell County Chamber of Commerce President Kim Effler said the bridge is “more than concrete and steel,” noting its importance for local residents and the economy.
Baxter Healthcare Site Director Dante Besseghini praised NCDOT and the community for their role in recovery efforts.
“Hurricane Helene tested the strength and resilience of our team and our community, but working together we were able to recover and emerge stronger than ever,” Besseghini said. “This new, permanent bridge is a vital connection to our operations and supports our ability to deliver life-sustaining products to patients across the country.”
The bridge is the first Helene-related express design-build replacement completed in the region. Temporary modular structures provided by the Florida Department of Transportation allowed traffic to resume just 21 working days after the storm.
Last winter, NCDOT engineers designed the permanent bridge to modern standards, with a stronger base, wider lanes, and lower risk of debris buildup.
The department faces a larger challenge of replacing 82 bridges across Highway Division 13, which includes Asheville and surrounding counties. Typically, crews replace nine or 10 bridges in a year, but work is ongoing for all 82 damaged or outdated structures.
“What we’ve achieved in restoring our state-maintained system of roads over the past year is nothing short of amazing,” Johnson said Friday. “We wouldn’t be here today, just over one year later, without our contractors, dedicated staff, support of our families, and neighbors like Baxter Healthcare.”